Car underframe



Nov. 24, 1925. 1,563,091

c. c. KlNsMAN CAR UNDERFRAME /s, 5 l\\\\\\\'\\\\\\ \l [n yen ors Marias* f/Mmm Patented Nov. 24, 19525., v

i UNITE stares ATENT OFFICE. j

` CHARLES C. KINSMAN, OIE CHGAGrO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQB. TO UNIVERSALDRAFT GEAR i ATTACHMENT CO., A COR'EORATON QF ILLNOIS.l

CAR UNDERFRAME.

ce Application filed March 10, 1925. Serial No. 14,378.1A

To all whom t may concern Be it known thatl I, CHARLES O. KiNsiuAN, a citizenof the United States, and resident of Chicago, county of Oool, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Oar Underframes, of

which the following is a specification, and

which isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming apart thereof.

Thisinvention relates to car undersframe construction, and moreparticularly to the construction of the draft arm and associated parts adj acent to the bolster of railway cars. i One of the objects of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for reinforcingthe Vcenter piece or casting of bolsters for railway cars.

Another object of the invention is the pro-.

visionof new and improved combined 4draft arms and center casting 1n. built-up bolster construction. f

Other objectsof the invention are the provision cfa bolster and draft arm` assembly 4,that ischeap` to manufacture, easily assembled, eliicient in use, strong, durable, and that is notlikely to become broken or get out or order.

Other and fnrtherobjects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in `which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a.

bolster `forvcar under-frame'with the draft arms in position therein, and shown in vertical section,

Fig.` 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified f orm of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5,-5 rof Fig. 4; and l .v l` I Fig. 6 is a plan view of the center casting. On the drawings, reference being had to Figs. 1 to3, inclusive, theV numerall() `designates the bolster ,ofl a railway car under` frame., The bolster. 10 may be of any approved construction. Inthe form. shown in Fig. 1, the bolster comprises the end sections 11y and 12 which are connected-together by means ofplates 13 and 14 rigidly secured to the Hanges'lwand 16 attlie upper and lower portions of said sections, as by means of the rivets andV 18, respectively. The bolster center plate 19'is rigidly connected to` said sections and the plate 14, as by means of the rivets 18.

In the space formed between the inner ends of the end sections of the bolster, and between the plates 13 and 14, the draft arms 21 and22 are adapted to be secured. These draft arms extend, longitudinally of the'c'entra'l portion of the car, as is usual in such construction. The arms are provided `with upper and lower flanges 23 and 24, the flange 23 being secured tothe plate 13 as by means of the rivets 25. A tie memberor reinforcing plate may be inserted between the flanges 23and the plate 13, for reinforcing said plate and for assist-ing in tying the arms 21 and 22 together.

Upper and lower angle members 27and '28, rigidly securedto said` bolster and draft arms may be employedto assist in securing said draft arms to said bolster. The draft arms may also be secured to the flanges" 29 and 31 at each. side of the web portions 32 and33 thereof, as by'means of the bolts yor rivets 34, suitable spacing members being'in-- sorted between the inner ends of the bolster sections and the draft arms, as clearly shown in Fig. 1..

llhe centen block. or center casting 35 is formed in sections and is so constructed that it is not only automatically positioned when the draft arms Vare installed or assembled,` butiit-is firm and rigid and will hold the arnls in proper spaced relation during any and all kinds of service to which the device may be subjccted.`

Inthe forni of the 'device shown in Figs'. 31 to 3 which 'has been selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, each draft arin is provided with an inwardly extending intermediate flange v36. Since the draft arms are similar eXceptbeing rights and lefts,"only` one need be described. The ini termediateflange has its` maximumV width in the plane of the bolster. The lower flange` i 24 is increased in width adjacent to the bol-` ster as shown `in Fig. 3. The flanges 24 and 36 are connected together by a connector bar'or member 37 which is provided4 with` a vertical `groove 38 and with flanges 39 ex- 4tending'laterally therefrom. The flanges39 of one `arin are adapted to be secured to those of the other arm by suitable fastening means, as the bolts 41, wlhereby the grooves `38 will form an aperture in alinement with the opening 40 in the center plate 19, see Figs. 2 and 3.

The center castings of the usual construction are not properly reinforced, and in orner to overcome this difficulty in, an efficient and economical manner each section of the ycenter block or casting is provided with a reinforcing channel or inverted U-shaped member 42 which# is secured t0 the connector member 37 and extends between the s-ame and the body or base portion of t-he draft arm. It is also rigidly secured to the flange 24 of the draft arm and is preferably integral therewith. Then the draft arms are assembled the inverted U-shaped members 42 are in alinement and constitute a. powerful reinforcing element for holding tlhe draft arms in proper spaced relation. A web 43 between the Hange 36, connector member 37, and channel member 42 may be employed for further strengthening the parts.

It is understood that each portion of the center block or casting 35 may be composed of separate elements suitably connected together, but in the preferred construction the parts are formed integral and integral with the corresponding -draft arms, as shown in Fig. 3.

The form of the device shown in Fifrs. 4, 5 and 6 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in that the center block or casting 44 is a unitary struct-ure instead of being formed in sections. It is provided with attaching flanges 45 which are adapted to be rigidly attached to the end sections 46 of the bolster. The casting comprises ay central or hub port-ion 47 having an opening 50 therethrough for the reception of the center pin or king bolt. A channel bar or reinforcing member 48 integral with the hub portion 47 extends across between the flanges 44 and 45. This member is an inverted U in cross section and is adapted to materially strengthen the webs 49 extending between the hub portion 47 and the flanges 45. The webs are preferably integral with the said hub and flanges and are also integra-l with the top portion of the reinforcing channel member 48 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Transversely arranged strengthening ribs 51 and 52 may be and preferably are provided on the hub and on the web and channel member 48. These ribs reinforce the hub and areadapted to brace the same longitudinally of the draft arms.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the construct-ion and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In a car underframe construction, a

bolster, a pair of draft arms secured to said bolster, said arms being provided with complementary center castings integral therewith, and means for securing said complementary center castings together.

2. In a car underframe construction, a bolster, a pair of draft arms secured to said bolster and extending transversely thereof, and means including a channel member extending transversely to said arms and in the plane of said bolster' for spacing said arms apart, said means being provided with an aperture for receiving a coupling pin.

In a car underframe construction, a bolster provide-d with an opening extending transversely through its central portion, a pair of draft arms extending through said opening, each arm being provided adjacent its lower portion with spacing means including an inwardly extending inverted U- shaped reinforcing member, and means for securing said spacing means together.

4. In a car underframe construction, a bolster, draft arms extending transversely thereof, and means for spacing said arms apart, said means including a channel member rigidly secured to said arms and positioned in the plane of the lower portion of said bolster.

5. In combination, a bolster, a air of draft arms extending through said olster, means on each arm for spacing said arms apart, said means comprising an inwardly extending flange, an inwardly extending channel member in spaced relation to said flange, a connecting member secured to the inner ends of said flange and said channel member, said connecting members being provided with grooves on their adjacent faces, and means for securing said connecting members together with the groove of one opposite the groove of the other to form a king pin opening.

6. In combination, a bolster, an apertured center plate, draft arms extending transversely to said bolster above said center plate, each arm being in the form of a channel with the lower channel increased in width in the plane of said bolster, an intermediate flange, a connecting member for connecting the inner ends of said intermediate and lower flanges, an inverted U-shaped reinforcing member for said connecting member, said connecting member being provided with a vertical groove, and means for clamping said connecting members together with said grooves opposite each other for forming an aperture in alinement with the aperture in said center plate.

7. In combination, a bolster, a pair of draft arms rigidly secured to said bolster, a center member rigidly secured to said arms, said center member being provided with a vertical opening for the reception of the king pin and a reinforcing member inverted U-shape in cross-section extending `transversely to said arms and rigidly secured thereto. v

8. In combination, a oar bolster, a pair of draft arms rigidly secured to said bolster, each of said arms being provided With a center member formed integral therewith7 and means for connecting said members together to form a center member.

9. In combination, a bolster, a pair oi' draft arms extending,- transversely to said bolster', and a Center member secured to said arms in the plane of said bolster', and provided With a central vertical opening for the reception of the king pin, the lower por tion of said member terminating in a channel member extending between said arms for spacingl the same apart.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES C. KINSMAN. 

